LaMarcus Aldridge returned and played very much like an All-Star, but against the high-scoring Houston Rockets, it was not enough Friday at the Rose Garden.

The Blazers just could not stop the Rockets, who are on the verge of ending a three-season playoff drought and got a key 116-98 victory.

The loss was the seventh in a row for Portland (33-43), matching its season-high losing streak from February. With six games left, all but one against teams that are headed to the postseason, the Blazers are staring at the real possibility of 13-game losing streak which would be the franchise’s longest ever to end a season.

To avoid that, Blazers will have to tighten up defensively. Friday was the sixth time in their last seven games that they gave up 100 points and 50 percent field goal shooting.

Aldridge’s return was the night’s highlight for Portland. After missing the previous four games with a sprained right ankle, Aldridge made an immediate impact, scoring two putback baskets, blocking a shot (officially, it was called a rebound) and making a jumper in the game’s first three minutes.

Aldridge finished with 32 points and 13 rebounds and shot 12 for 19 from the field.

“I felt good,” Aldridge said. “A little tender. But for the most part, I felt OK.”

The Blazers, though, just could not stop the Rockets (43-33), who lead the NBA in scoring. Houston got a dominant performance from its backcourt, as James Harden – whose acquisition in a training camp trade from Oklahoma City was the major turning point for the team – had 33 points, seven rebounds and six assist.

One sequence in the waning seconds of the third quarter typified the game. After trailing by 19 points in the second quarter, the Blazers battled back, at one point getting the deficit down to five. After Houston got the lead back up to 16, the Blazers got some late momentum, and when Meyers Leonard dunked with 35.9 seconds left, the Rockets’ lead was down to 88-77.

After Houston’s Donatas Motiejunas missed a shot, the Blazers got a fastbreak opportunity, and Will Barton found Leonard with a nice pass near the basket. Leonard, however, blew the layup, and Houston quickly turned a transition opportunity into a layup by Motiejunas. Patrick Beverley then stole a weak inbounds pass by Lillard and found Harden, who scored on a layup that put Houston up 92-77 to end the quarter.

“We can’t have mental mistakes,” Stotts said. “We should be past some of those things.”

The Rockets, who entered the game averaging a league-best 106 points, unleashed a barrage of three-pointers in the first half, making six of their first eight attempts. Harden, who had 35 points and 11 assists against the Blazers on Feb. 8, seemed unstoppable at times as he scored 19 first-half points.

When Harden drove for a layup with 3:40 left, the Rockets lead 59-40.

“When they get the threes going, it makes is especially difficult,” Stotts said.

The Blazers, though, mustered some the fight they’ve shown all season and closed the half with a 16-4 run to trim the deficit to 63-56. Aldridge led the way with eight points in the stretch to finish with 24 points in the half.

Aldridge also had 10 rebounds by halftime, completing his 36th double-double of the season, which tied for his most in a season. He also had 36 double-doubles during his breakout 2010-11 season.

But the Blazers just could not sustain the runs for long enough periods as Houston’s quick strike attack took advantage of Blazers’ misses – there were many as they shot 41.8 percent from the field, 38 for 91 – and 13 turnovers to score 28 fastbreak points.

“I think we just have to play smarter,” Aldridge said. “I think we had a lot of brain farts tonight. I thought we had a lot of miscommunications, a lot of moments where we had it down and then we had a turnover or we’d make a bonehead play. And they always capitalized off of our turnovers and things like that.”

The Rockets, who are on pace to set an NBA record for most three-point makes in a season, finished 12 for 28 behind the arc. The Blazers, who also rely heavily on three-pointers, weren’t even close, finishing 2 for 20.

“We’ve got to knock down shots,” said Matthews, who was 1 for 11 on threes. “They were there. That happens, but at the same time, we have to play some damn defense.”